
Polish parliament approves liberalisation of wind farm rules
The rules, passed in a vote late on Wednesday, cut the distance required between planned installations and residential locations, while keeping permitting more restrictive for projects close to protected natural areas.
The bill will also include a clause that freezes energy prices for households until the end of the year, and incentives for municipalities and homeowners in areas closest to the new wind farms.
"This is a step towards lower power prices for Poles and for the economy, an idea we all share. The more power we have from renewable sources, the lower electricity prices will be," Climate Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska told Parliament sitting on Wednesday.
Boosting renewable power production has been one of the key election pledges, opens new tab of the current government after the previous administration blocked development of onshore wind for most of its eight years in power.
The law needs to be approved by the Senate, and signed by the president. Outgoing head of state Andrzej Duda and president-elect Karol Nawrocki have been skeptical about easing permitting requirements for wind farms.
Duda said on Wednesday the government was trying to force him to sign the wind farm bill by including the last-minute amendment to freeze power prices.
Renewable output has been growing at the expense of coal-fired power which still dominates the mix. In 2024, nearly 30% of Polish electricity was generated from renewable sources. The country now has 11 gigawatt of installed wind capacity.
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Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Football's changed beyond belief since my first game 26 years ago – cling onto fact there's still people kicking a ball
Through the money and the years, football has mutated into a monster game changers Football's changed beyond belief since my first game 26 years ago – cling onto fact there's still people kicking a ball Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AS CRYSTAL PALACE prepare a complex legal case against demotion from the Europa League, it makes you think. If not, it should do. That within two months of the only genuinely heart-warming moment from a forgettable Premier League season, the one feel-good factor from 12 months of humdrum routine has been blown to smithereens. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Crystal Palace beat Man Utd at Wembley to secure a spot in next year's Europa League Credit: PA 9 However, multi-club ownership rules saw them demoted to the Conference League Credit: Getty 9 Eagles chairman Steve Parish will battle the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Palace won their first trophy in 120 years back in May by upsetting moneyed Manchester City in the FA Cup final — and anyone with an ounce of romance rejoiced. Yet in less time than it takes for VAR to check for your average offside, the joy has been cut short. Because the growing trend for multi-ownership and the pursuit of power among the world's richest has put football second — again. With Eagles shareholder John Textor also having financial interests in Europa-League bound Lyon, rules have been broken, say Uefa. Two clubs under the influence of the same bloke can't compete in the same competition. And fair enough. So, Palace's defiant chairman, Steve Parish, now must lead the desperate fightback via the Court of Arbitration for Sport. What was once a little-known legal body based in a mansion in Switzerland is now becoming as big a name as Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland. And that Nottingham Forest could not wait to grass up Palace in the hope of nicking their Europa League spot is football 2025 in a nutshell. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 9 John Textor has since sold his stake in Palace to fellow American Woody Johnson Credit: AFP Lawyers and business tycoons have replaced centre-forwards and centrefolds as the main players at the heart of our national sport. Let's rewind to July 1999 and compare notes. The only reason I suggest this date is because that's when I started on staff at SunSport. Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas slams Uefa for denying them a Europa League place After bluffing my way through it for 26 years, this will be my last column before leaving so it's as good a point in time as any. Back then, on the cusp of the new millennium, Alan Shearer was widely reported as the Premier League's top earner on £34K a week at Newcastle. Roughly 100 times the average wage of the day. Shearer's £1.76million a year is dwarfed by the estimated £18.2m annually Mo Salah will trouser under his new Liverpool contract. Average wages in the UK for last year were roughly £37,000 per year. You don't have to be Carol Vorderman to work out that the gap has widened considerably. In the summer of '99, Manchester United were celebrating victory in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. The only treble the fans can enjoy these days is a stiff one in the boozer after the latest abject collapse on the pitch at a fallen giant. But at least that's football related. 9 Man Utd completed the Treble in 1999 with a dramatic win over Bayern Credit: Getty 9 Jonny Evans' departure at the end of the season means there are no more players at the club who played under Sir Alex Ferguson Credit: Getty So much of what masquerades as our favourite sport has nothing to do with shirts, shorts and shin pads. And back when Tony Blair was still regarded as a half-decent PM, there was no VAR to kill the spontaneous release that is a goal being scored. In 1999, the beleaguered boss of the referees' union did not have to appear regularly on TV to desperately fight the corner of members. In 1999, not every defeat was considered a national disaster by over-hyped figures in the game. In 1999, clubs were not selling their own hotels back to themselves to get round spending rules. Spending rules brought in to stop nation states hoovering up our best teams at the expense of fair competition. In 1999, there were 17 managers of British and Irish descent working in the Prem. Today it's five. In 1999, the biggest transfer of the summer was Nicolas Anelka's exit from Arsenal to Real Madrid. The £22.5m was considered big money. Most pertinent of all, in 1999 Premier League grounds were alive. They were not stop-offs for foreign tourists sitting in silent bewilderment while clutching bags of overpriced tat from club shops. The game hasn't gone these past 26 years but it's going. 9 Somewhere in the middle of all the legal battles, foreign takeovers, stakeholders, rights holders, influencers, extortionate ticket prices, popcorn, VAR, play-acting and social media tripe, there are still people kicking footballs. Cling on to that. CAPTAINCY IS IN LEVI'S GENES FAREWELL NOTE TO CHELSEA: Levi Colwill must be your next captain. During the Club World Cup, the defender grew in stature so much off the pitch and is emerging as a superb ambassador for a club that can struggle for positive PR. From discussing his secret LEGO passion, to bold declarations that Chelsea can win the title this season, this young man has the kind of character they have been aching for at Stamford Bridge since the departures of John Terry and Antonio Rudiger. When Reece James calls it a day wearing the armband, Colwill must take over. 9 Levi Colwill was integral to Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph in the US Credit: Getty JUAN-NIL LOSS BARCELONA is 920 miles from London. Marcus Rashford seems to think it is a world away. By refusing to answer any questions in English at his unveiling by the Spanish giants he has already scored a little own goal. You can pretend it's to ingratiate himself with the Catalan locals but nobody over here is really fooled. Rashford might think he has been harshly treated by the English media but I have never met a reporter who doesn't wish him all the very best and wants him to do well for his club and for England, more importantly. And more importantly than anything to do with football, his campaign for free school meals is a standout moment as a human being. 9 Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on a season-long loan after falling out with Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim Credit: Getty It's worth remembering that his move to Barcelona from Manchester United is only a season-long loan and that this time next year he may be back. There'll be questions then — and no hiding place behind the lingo.


The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
Football's changed beyond belief since my first game 26 years ago – cling onto fact there's still people kicking a ball
AS CRYSTAL PALACE prepare a complex legal case against demotion from the Europa League, it makes you think. If not, it should do. That within two months of the only genuinely heart-warming moment from a forgettable Premier League season, the one feel-good factor from 12 months of humdrum routine has been blown to smithereens. 8 8 8 Palace won their first trophy in 120 years back in May by upsetting moneyed Manchester City in the FA Cup final — and anyone with an ounce of romance rejoiced. Yet in less time than it takes for VAR to check for your average offside, the joy has been cut short. Because the growing trend for multi-ownership and the pursuit of power among the world's richest has put football second — again. With Eagles shareholder John Textor also having financial interests in Europa-League bound Lyon, rules have been broken, say Uefa. Two clubs under the influence of the same bloke can't compete in the same competition. And fair enough. So, Palace's defiant chairman, Steve Parish, now must lead the desperate fightback via the Court of Arbitration for Sport. What was once a little-known legal body based in a mansion in Switzerland is now becoming as big a name as Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland. And that Nottingham Forest could not wait to grass up Palace in the hope of nicking their Europa League spot is football 2025 in a nutshell. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 8 Lawyers and business tycoons have replaced centre-forwards and centrefolds as the main players at the heart of our national sport. Let's rewind to July 1999 and compare notes. The only reason I suggest this date is because that's when I started on staff at SunSport. Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas slams Uefa for denying them a Europa League place After bluffing my way through it for 26 years, this will be my last column before leaving so it's as good a point in time as any. Back then, on the cusp of the new millennium, Alan Shearer was widely reported as the Premier League's top earner on £34K a week at Newcastle. Roughly 100 times the average wage of the day. Shearer's £1.76million a year is dwarfed by the estimated £18.2m annually Mo Salah will trouser under his new Liverpool contract. Average wages in the UK for last year were roughly £37,000 per year. You don't have to be Carol Vorderman to work out that the gap has widened considerably. In the summer of '99, Manchester United were celebrating victory in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. The only treble the fans can enjoy these days is a stiff one in the boozer after the latest abject collapse on the pitch at a fallen giant. But at least that's football related. 8 8 So much of what masquerades as our favourite sport has nothing to do with shirts, shorts and shin pads. And back when Tony Blair was still regarded as a half-decent PM, there was no VAR to kill the spontaneous release that is a goal being scored. In 1999, the beleaguered boss of the referees' union did not have to appear regularly on TV to desperately fight the corner of members. In 1999, not every defeat was considered a national disaster by over-hyped figures in the game. In 1999, clubs were not selling their own hotels back to themselves to get round spending rules. Spending rules brought in to stop nation states hoovering up our best teams at the expense of fair competition. In 1999, there were 17 managers of British and Irish descent working in the Prem. Today it's five. In 1999, the biggest transfer of the summer was Nicolas Anelka's exit from Arsenal to Real Madrid. The £22.5m was considered big money. Most pertinent of all, in 1999 Premier League grounds were alive. They were not stop-offs for foreign tourists sitting in silent bewilderment while clutching bags of overpriced tat from club shops. The game hasn't gone these past 26 years but it's going. Somewhere in the middle of all the legal battles, foreign takeovers, stakeholders, rights holders, influencers, extortionate ticket prices, popcorn, VAR, play-acting and social media tripe, there are still people kicking footballs. Cling on to that. CAPTAINCY IS IN LEVI'S GENES FAREWELL NOTE TO CHELSEA: Levi Colwill must be your next captain. During the Club World Cup, the defender grew in stature so much off the pitch and is emerging as a superb ambassador for a club that can struggle for positive PR. From discussing his secret LEGO passion, to bold declarations that Chelsea can win the title this season, this young man has the kind of character they have been aching for at Stamford Bridge since the departures of John Terry and Antonio Rudiger. When Reece James calls it a day wearing the armband, Colwill must take over. JUAN-NIL LOSS BARCELONA is 920 miles from London. Marcus Rashford seems to think it is a world away. By refusing to answer any questions in English at his unveiling by the Spanish giants he has already scored a little own goal. You can pretend it's to ingratiate himself with the Catalan locals but nobody over here is really fooled. Rashford might think he has been harshly treated by the English media but I have never met a reporter who doesn't wish him all the very best and wants him to do well for his club and for England, more importantly. And more importantly than anything to do with football, his campaign for free school meals is a standout moment as a human being. 8 It's worth remembering that his move to Barcelona from Manchester United is only a season-long loan and that this time next year he may be back. There'll be questions then — and no hiding place behind the lingo.


Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Germany passes ‘Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz' law to streamline army
Germany has passed a law titled the 'Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz' to speed up the process of buying helicopters, tanks and frigates for its army. In a country notorious for cumbersome bureaucracy, weapons procurement is being streamlined as part of a rearmament plan by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor. Ironically, the law, which is supposed to make life easier for defence contractors and trade negotiators, is one of the longest words in the German language and difficult to pronounce. Passed on Wednesday, ministers hope the Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz [federal armed forces procurement efficiency law] will simplify the process of buying weapons and equipment. It will enable major defence firms to secure contracts faster and improve access for start-up businesses, particularly in new areas of defence, such as the drone sector. Boris Pistorius, German defence minister, is said to be frustrated by long delays in acquiring new kit for the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, such as frigates and armoured vehicles. According to Tagesschau, a German news website, his defence ministry is particularly worried about progress on the F126 frigate project, which is expected to be delayed by at least two years. Another contract with a Dutch company to provide the German navy with six ships by 2028 has also run aground, the newspaper said, amid speculation that the deal could be dropped altogether. A multi-billion euro project to deliver the Heavy Weapon Carrier, a high-tech armoured vehicle, has also been plagued by delays. The Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz is part of Germany's wider efforts to become a major security power in response to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mr Merz has vowed 'Germany is back' and has already passed historic reforms to unlock potentially unlimited public spending on new German defence projects. The centre-Right Christian Democrats leader has committed to Nato's target of spending 5 per cent of GDP on defence, and is also considering a return to conscription, which was scrapped by Germany in 2011 because it was believed to be no longer necessary. The Bundeswehr this year launched its first permanent overseas deployment since the Second World War, sending an armoured brigade to Lithuania to help secure Nato's eastern frontier with Russia. Running at 43 letters long, Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz is one of the longest words in German. Germany is no stranger to having very long names for laws and business regulations, such as 'Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz,' an archaic rule about beef standards which was once the longest German word. The longest official German word, at 72 letters, is Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft, referring to a trade association for steamboats.